{"id":65709,"date":"2026-02-18T04:30:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T09:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/?p=65709"},"modified":"2026-02-18T08:44:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T13:44:30","slug":"morse-patriots-mock-draft-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2026\/02\/18\/morse-patriots-mock-draft-2\/","title":{"rendered":"MORSE: Patriots Mock Draft #2"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is my second New England Patriots<\/strong><\/a> Mock Draft after the East-West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl have concluded.\u00a0 I did not want to post this until after the Super Bowl.\u00a0 Again, I used PFF Mock Draft Simulator because it is the most accurate and updates almost daily as the number of mock drafts are conducted.\u00a0 You can see players moving up the draft board.<\/p>\n

Free Agency will have a big impact on the Draft.\u00a0 The Patriots have Cap Space unused from 2025, carried over from the 2025 Salary Cap.\u00a0 The Cap has already been increased by $20M.\u00a0 PatsCap Miguel Benzan states that the Patriots have $41.5 available in Free Agency.\u00a0 Now for the bad news.\u00a0 Don\u2019t expect the Patriots to spend that money.\u00a0 Robert Kraft has a reputation for spending in one off-season and not spending in the next two.\u00a0 They have a priority to sign Christian Gonzalez this off-season, and it won\u2019t be cheap.\u00a0 I have seen an estimate of $40M AAV for 4 years at $160M total.\u00a0 Next year, they will have to deal with Drake Maye’s contract.<\/p>\n

I find it comical that pundits have the Patriots making a play for Maxx Crosby or AJ Brown.\u00a0 Their contracts are prohibitive, and Kraft won\u2019t let Eliot Wolf make a play on either of them.<\/p>\n

The Patriots have needs at T, TE, S, EDGE, Linebacker, with six high-profile free agents of their own.\u00a0 Vederian Lowe, Austin Hooper, Khyris Tonga, Jaylinn Hawkins, K\u2019Lavon Chaisson, and Jack Gibbens are all Free Agents.\u00a0 \u00a0I would like to see Tonga brought back, but it will have to be a team-friendly deal.\u00a0 Chaisson reportedly wants to come back, so there is hope the team and player can find common ground on a long-term deal.\u00a0 Hooper is 32, and I don\u2019t think he will be back.\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure they will be able to reach a deal with Hawkins.\u00a0 Gibbens is a JAG and should be able to be signed to a relatively small deal. \u00a0Lowe is likely to leave for an opportunity to play.\u00a0 The OT market is pretty thin, and he should be able to sign a lucrative deal.<\/p>\n

Here is the Mock Draft<\/p>\n

1-31 \u00a0Kadyn Proctor OT Alabama \u2013 <\/strong>6\u20196\u201d 366-pounds – <\/strong>As soon as I finished my Mock Draft #2, PFF came out with an updated 1st<\/sup> Round Mock Draft.\u00a0 I had Akheem Mesidor EDGE Miami going to the Patriots at #31 and Max Iheanachor OT Arizona at #95.\u00a0 I was originally going to take an Edge Rusher, but Kadyn Proctor stuck out like a sore thumb.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t to say that Will Campbell will be moved inside to Guard.\u00a0 Mike Vrabel has made it clear that Campbell will be the LT next year.\u00a0 However, if he fails, they have a legitimate replacement in place.\u00a0 They will give Proctor a year under NFL coaching, and he will not be thrown into the fire (unless there is an injury).\u00a0 He also represents a possible switch to RT and eventually becomes the replacement for Morgan Moses, who will be 35 next year.\u00a0 Proctor had a pass reception last season and even had a carry as a Wildcat QB.\u00a0 I do not expect Proctor to be at pick#31, and if he is, teams will be knocking at the Patriots’ door to trade for that pick.<\/p>\n

2-63\u00a0 Derrick Moore EDGE Michigan \u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 6\u20193\u201d 254-pound, 4.65e 40 \u2013 This is what NFL Draft Buzz says about Moore:<\/p>\n